Online blackjack is one of the easiest games to learn as well as the most player-friendly. In our guide to playing online blackjack for real money, you’ll learn where and how to play, winning strategy, different game variations & more.
Online blackjack is one of the easiest games to learn as well as the most player-friendly. In our guide to playing online blackjack for real money, you’ll learn where and how to play, winning strategy, different game variations & more.
These are our favorite sites for US players to play blackjack online:
1 day (Process) up to 10 days (payment)
24-48 hrs
1-5 days
Instant (Bitcoin) 10 days (check)
1 to 15 Business Days
The progression of a blackjack hand is very simple to follow and to help illustrate an example please refer to the graphics in this section.
For a more detailed look at the specifics of the game, read our guide to how to play blackjack.
In online blackjack for real money, every card has a numeric value. The game is played with a standard 52 card deck. Aces can be worth either 11 or 1, face cards (King, Queen and Jack) are worth 10, and all other cards are worth their number. The suit of your cards does not matter in blackjack, though it can apply to bonus and side games.
Above all else, new players ask one question; what is blackjack? Well, blackjack is both the name of the game, and the name of a winning hand – an Ace and a ten-value card as the initial two cards dealt. The goal is to attain a hand totaling more than the dealer, without going over 21. A player dealt a blackjack automatically wins the hand, with payout greater than even.
If your cards add up to more than 21, this is called a ‘bust’, and means you lose that hand and your bet. If, once you and the dealer are done taking cards, you end up with the same total, this is called a “push.” This is essentially a tie, and your original wager will be returned to you.
Centuries before online blackjack for real money came to be, an English version referred to simply as “twenty-one” was the first known instance of the popular casino card game. The exact origins are still debated, but many believe that blackjack was derived from Chemin de Fer, a variant of baccarat, in France in the 1700s. The American blackjack variant came to be near the turn of the 20th century after the French brought the game from overseas.
Aside from the name evolving, the rules have evolved since the game’s creation as well – originally, only the dealer was allowed to double down. When blackjack first came to gambling houses, a 10-to-1 bonus payout was given if a player was dealt an ace of spades along with a black Jack, either a club or a spade. This high payout was meant to draw more players in.
As the game grew in popularity, the catchy name “blackjack” stuck, but the high bonus payouts fizzled out.
Do not play blackjack online recklessly and emotionally, and never abandon your blackjack strategy to win back anything you’ve lost.
Use splitting and doubling down to maximize your wager amount on good hands. If one more ten would give you a winning hand, take a calculated risk and double down.
While there isn’t one specific blackjack strategy that applies to all players, knowing which hands a dealer MUST hit on and which hands a dealer MUST stand on is an important piece of knowledge that will help maximize your odds of winning or losing.
Looking for a range of casino games, and the glitz, glamor and lights of the casino without even leaving your couch? Jackpot City Casino is the place for you.
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When you decide to play blackjack online for real money or for free, you have a host of options when it comes to the different variations of these online casino games. Here are a few of the most popular options for US players, but rest assured, there are plenty of other blackjack gaming options.
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We recommend playing our free blackjack demo mode until you understand how the game works. Of course, the inescapable downside of playing for free is that you can’t win money, and that casino bonuses for free players are incredibly rare. That’s why, once comfortable, many players choose to play blackjack at an online casino for real money. Blackjack is a great game whichever way you play, but check out the pros and cons of playing for real money to make sure you make the right decision.
| U.S. Blackjack Online Casino | Best For | Best Bonus | No. of Blackjack Games | Start Playing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wild Casino | Classic | $5,000 | 11+ | Wild Casino Blackjack |
| 2. BetOnline | Multi-Deck | $3,000 | 17+ | BetOnline Blackjack |
| 3. Ignition | Vegas | $3,000 | 8+ | Ignition Blackjack |
| 4. Lucky Red | Classic | $4,000 | 8+ | Lucky Red Blackjack |
| 5. Super Slots | Side Bets | $6,000 | 12+ | Super Slots Blackjack |
The total amount of chips or cash that you have to play with.
The name for a two-card hand featuring a face card or 10 and an ace, adding to 21 in the game.
The game-ending term for when your blackjack exceeds 21. Bust can only be achieved by hitting, as your initial two-card hand will never exceed 21.
The first card in a deck, drawn and set aside after the cards have been shuffled and cut. It is removed to disrupt the order of the cards and reduce the opportunity to cheat.
The opportunity to double your original bet in exchange for exactly one more card. This can only be done on an initial two-card hand.
When a player has five cards in front of them and hasn’t busted.
To take another card from the dealer in the hopes of improving a blackjack hand.
A side wager to protect against a dealer drawing a blackjack.
Any hand which contains an ace card. As the ace cards can be worth 11 or 1, these hands offer a degree of flexibility and can protect the player from going bust.
A side bet for when you draw two cards of the same value. You have the option to split them into two individual hands after doubling your initial wager. You’d then play these hands the same way they’d play one – choosing to hit, stand, double down, or even to split again.
To take no more cards from the dealer and indicate that you’d like to play the current hand against the dealer’s cards.
Yes! Basic strategy is applicable to both online blackjack and playing at a table in a casino. You may even be more comfortable practicing basic strategy online while using a physical strategy chart. Using the chart for online play can help you memorize it for both online and in-person betting.
No, card counting is different than basic strategy. Each will lower the house edge and benefit the player, but basic strategy is making the right choices based on the odds of each hand, without accounting for the cards remaining in the shoe. However, basic strategy is allowed in all casinos while card counting is not.
Yes, most casinos offer free versions of blackjack online for new players, and all casinos offer real money games. Free games allow potential gamblers to learn how to play blackjack before wagering real money. The best part is that typically these casinos allow free blackjack to be played before signing up for a new account.
Practice makes perfect, so the more you employ basic strategy, the easier it will get to remember the rules. To start, consider focusing on major rules like always splitting 8’s or doubling down on 11.
Nope. Insurance can be viewed as a sucker bet that, in the long-run, benefits the casino by boosting the house edge. The pit boss will be happy every time you take insurance and perfect strategy requires avoiding it at all costs.
You can absolutely try, but it’s much more difficult to count cards in online blackjack games. Online casinos use a random number generator to deal cards. This system means every hand is being played with a new deck. A user could count cards, but there would be no value in doing so.
While blackjack online players can’t influence which cards they or the dealer receive, they do have control of how they play out their hand. There is skill involved in how blackjack players strategize their hand to maximize their odds of winning. In that sense, blackjack is a game of skill and chance.
Both have their advantages, but what’s nice about blackjack at online casinos is that you can enjoy the experience from the comfort of your own home or – if on the go – from your mobile device at a coffee shop or next Uber ride. There’s no need to book a flight or a hotel to enjoy the blackjack experience.
Odds are slightly better at land-based casinos due to random number generator software impacting the flow of the next card. This said, the house edge in both versions of blackjack are among the most favorable casino games for players.
Any of our top recommended online blackjack casino sites listed above also feature excellent mobile sites and apps. All of these sites and apps allow you to play online blackjack for real money.
You will need a computer or mobile device and an internet connection to play blackjack online. It’s incredibly simple to start playing at the best online blackjack sites today!
That’s easy, scroll to the top of this page to find our top-rated online casino reviews. Each blackjack casino online has been independently critiqued by our team of experts for quality and safety.
This depends which online casino or mobile blackjack app you prefer. While some gambling sites do offer blackjack software for download, most modern casinos online have optimized their sites so that software is not required to start gaming.
